Kerala writer attacked over book title

An upcoming Malayalam writer was allegedly attacked by a group of people for using the word ‘padachon’ (the creator) in the title of his soon to be released book at Koottanad in Palakkad district.

‘Padachon’ is a colloquial Malayalam word used to refer to ‘God, the Creator’. It is used generally by the Muslim community in the state.

The victim, P Jimshar, had recently announced his new short story collection titled ‘Padachonte Chitrapradarshanam’ (The Painting Exhibition by the Creator), to be published by state-based DC Books.

According to police, four people allegedly attacked and beat him up on Sunday night at Koottanad when he was waiting for a bus.

One of the four men had approached him first and started conversing with him. The others joined him later and soon began to beat Jimshar, asking him “how dare you write about Padachon”, police told, quoting the writer’s complaint.

Jimshar’s friend Akhil Ansar, who spoke on behalf of the writer, said they suspected that the attack was a planned one and some “fundamental elements” were behind it.

The writer had received threat calls and messages on WhatsApp, ever since he announced the new book, he said.

“Jimshar told us that the attackers asked him how dare he write about Padachon. So he suspected the involvement of some fundamental elements who are upset with the usage of ‘Padachon’ in the book’s title,” Ansar told.

He said Jimshar had recently put the cover page of the book as the display picture of his WhatsApp account.

“Since then he had been receiving threat messages and calls,” he said.

A collection of nine short stories ‘Padachonte Chitrapradarshanam’ is expected to be released at a function in Ernakulam on August 5. The attack against the writer evoked sharp criticism on social media against “cultural policing” and “intolerance”.